Chain Islands
The Archipelago of the Chain Islands lies to the east most part of the planet. Several thousand islands and islets and atolls litter the Dawnlight Ocean. Originally the main home of the Merfaer, the Chain Islands are now bustling with activity acting as a tropical getaway and port for sailors and tradesmen. The Merfaer still make up a majority of the population here, but the human communities are rising. ='Geography'= The 11 largest islands contain 84% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Pala-Pala. The islands are divided into three groups: Mhat Bhuja, Mhat Rhuha, and Mhat Wokakow. The Bhuja islands include Pala-Pala Island itself, and is sometimes known as the Empresses Crown. The Rhuha islands is the group of islands in the central Chain Islands, known as the Empresses Heart. The Wokakow islands include Wokakow island itself, plus the Sulu-sulu Archipelago, it is known as the Empresses Heel. The Chain Island archipelago lies in the heart of the Dawnlight Ocean in a position that has led to its becoming a cultural crossroads, a place where Merfaer, Humans, Ryth, and Elves have interacted to forge a unique cultural and racial blend. A majority of the peoples of the Chain Islands are exotic looking, stemming from their half or third or even quartered racial lines. Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated, and fewer than one-half of these are larger than any of E‘Dans sovereignties. Seven islands make up 80 percent of the landmass, and two of these — Pala-Pala and Wokakow — are the largest. They, together with the cluster of the Mhat Rhuha Islands that separate them, represent the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three headed serpent on the Chain Island flag. Topographically, the Chain Islands is broken up by the sea, which gives it one of the longest coastlines of any nation in the world. Most of it’s people live on or near the coast, where they can easily supplement their diet from approximately 2,000 species of fish. The rain forests, though not as diverse as the Heilian Rainforest, also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the empress eagle, some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants. The Chain Islands also boasts an extensive river system which are used by ancient and modern Merfaer as easily navigable routes for trade and travel and several of these rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power. Mhat Lagoon, located in Pala-Pala, is the largest freshwater lake in the world. ='Government'= The Chain Islands is an absolute monarchy ruled by the Pearl Empress, or Mhat Lamia. She exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, thus wielding political power over the sovereign state and its subject peoples. As absolute governor, the monarch’s authority is not legally bound or restricted by a constitution. Her power also extends further and wields absolute religious authority. It is decreed that “the Mhat Lamia is revered and considered the most perfect and supreme person on the world by all her subjects, standing above all laws and having no judge above her person, neither in spiritual nor temporal matters, except for the Goddess alone.” 'Kikaiki Policy' For 1000 years, the Mhat Lamia has enforced a foreign relations policy, the Kikaiki, under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Chain Island born leave the country under penalty of death. The Chain Islands was not completely isolated under the Kikaiki. It was a system in which strict regulations were applied to commerce and foreign relations. The policy stated that the only western influence permitted was the human trade port of Val Royale where all foreign trade would be policed strongly. This isolation prevented the western kingdoms to know about the Chain Islands and it’s inhabitants. It is generally regarded that the Empress imposed and enforced the Kikaiki policy in order to remove the colonial and religious influence of the Humans and Umbrians, which was perceived as posing a threat to the stability of the empire and to the peace of the archipelago. The increasing number of Sophian converts in southern Wokakow was a significant element of that which was seen as a threat. The Empress had great doubts when she heard about much of Soluna’s tumultuous events, the Centuries War and the Catastrophe of Konyu, and thought that the Islands would soon become one of the many victims of western influence. The Kikaiki was also a way of controlling commerce between the Empire and other nations, as well as asserting its new place as a far eastern superpower. Later on, the Kikaiki was the main safeguard against the total depletion of the Empires mineral resources — such as silver and gold — to the outside world. The way the Empire kept abreast of western technology and events during this period was by studying texts obtained through Val Royale. ='Mhat A’sanah, The Empresses Blades'= The militant force of the Chain Islands is known as the Mhat A’sanah, or the Empresses Blades, is the name of two distinct groups that make up the islands militia: the Bhut-raj A’sanah and the Vit-raj A’sanah. Being an island nation, the Mhat A’sanah is a largely maritime force, protecting the seas and skies around the islands, not giving the enemy a chance to tread on the Empresses lands. The force is 750,000 units strong with 500,000 being part of the Bhut-raj while the other 250,000 are part of the Vit-raj. Officers are ranked with the Empress being the commander-in-chief, who oversees the admiral, called the Min’Ahast (First Snake), who themselves are supported by the lower ranked captains called the Taj’Ahast (Second Snake), and below them are the rest of the troops called the Ahast (Snake). Both groups are different in their disciplines, tactics, and methods of warfare. The Mhat A’sanah is the most powerful maritime force in the world. 'Bhut-raj' The Bhut-raj A’sanah, literally the Over-warer Blades, or the Sky Blades, is a militia conducted by surface ship and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, and training. The strategic offensive role of the Bhut-raj is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of this group is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The corps are trained to be proficient in maritime warfare supplemented by land and air warfare proficiencies. Tasks undertaken by the Bhut-raj have included providing security in an Arkh while at sea, reflecting the pressed nature of the ships' company and the risk of mutiny. Other tasks would include boarding of other ships during combat or capture of prize ships and providing manpower for raiding ashore in support of the Empires objectives. The Bhut-raj is also the term for all of the Empresses naval fleet, a corps of 4000 ships, called Arkhs, with 1000 of these Arkhs capable of flight. 'Vit-raj' The second group of the Mhat A’sanah is called the Vit-raj A’sanah, or the Sea Blades (lit. Under-water Blades). This smaller branch of the army is responsible for reconnaissance, anti-surface ship operations, and covert insertion upon enemy shores. They travel through the waterways where Arkhs may not pass, where the rock and coral could damage the ships or are too small to accommodate them. The group is so called because they operate below the surface, and thus are comprised of completely merfaer members. There is no other force in the world similar to the Vit-raj, and those that try to imitate them, pale in comparison to the highly trained, highly massive force. The Vit-raj traces its history back to the founding of the Empire and was the sole means of protection for the lands before the advent of surface ships. Most of the time, the Vit-raj A’sanah serve alongside the Bhut-raj during missions, serving as invisible scouts to help shore up the enemy’s offense and defense. They also maintain the underwater state of affairs during naval battles, rescuing the injured, capturing prisoners of war, and sabotage. 'Ghin A’sanah' A third portion of the Empresses army, the Ghin A’sanah, or the Invisible Blade, allegedly exists. There is no proof that this branch of the Empires army exists, nor is there any historical proof that it ever existed. Originally a story told by locals during the Kikaiki to merchants and sailors, it was a then convenient and easily believable ruse to make foreigners believe that the Empire’s power was stronger than what it was. These stories spread like wildfire through the years before and after the Kikaiki, and because of the veiled nature of the Chain Islands hierarchy, some believe that the Ghin A’sanah story is true. The Invisible Blades are said to be spies, assassins, and stealth scouts under the service of the Empress. Their roles were many, some of which include infiltrating and sabotaging organizations of power either within or without the Empire, eliminating political, religious, or social individuals that pose a threat to the Empire and its ruler, and gathering information regarding a country’s defensive, offensive, and economical might or other venues of interest to the Empress.